From the Gothic quarters of Barcelona and the Royal Palace of Madrid to the scenic islands of Ibiza and the snow-capped mountains of Sierra Nevada, Spain offers myriad reasons for tourists to visit this beautiful and unique country. According to an article on World Atlas, Spain attracted close to 82 million tourists in 2017, making it the second most popular destination for tourists from around the world.
Traveling to Spain would require you to apply for a Schengen visa. However, if you intend to stay for a period greater than 90 days, you would need to apply for a Spanish national visa.
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Types of Spain VisasÂ
Depending upon the purpose and nature of your visit, you can apply for the following types of visas:
Spain Transit Visa
The transit visa is meant for individuals who need to enter the Schengen territory in order to change their means of transportation to reach another nation.
Spain Tourism Visa
The tourism visa is meant for individuals who wish to travel to Spain for the purposes of tourism. With a tourism visa, you are permitted to stay in the Schengen Zone for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period.
Visa for Visiting Family and Friends
This visa is required for those who wish to visit their friends or family living in Spain.
Spain Business Visa
Under this visa, an individual is permitted to conduct business activities in Spain. For a business visa, an invitation letter from the Spanish company you will be visiting, the company’s address as well as your dates of visit would be required.
Spain Visa for Cultural and Sports Activities
Those who wish to travel to Spain for cultural or sports events need to apply under this category.
Spain Visa for Official Visits
Those who are visiting Spain on an official invitation to participate in meetings, consultations, exchange programs or other programs held by inter-governmental organizations need to apply under this category.
Spain Student Visa
This visa is for those who wish to enter and stay in Spain for educational purposes. The visa permits the person to stay for a maximum of 90 days. If the educational course is of a longer duration, then the visitor will need to apply for a long stay study visa at the Spanish embassy in their home country.
Spain Visa for Medical Purposes
A visa for medical purposes allows its holder to enter and stay in Spain for the treatment of an existing medical condition.
Spain Visa Application Process
The first step to applying for a visa is filling up of the Schengen visa application form. You will also need to pay the visa fee, the amount for which depends on the nature and duration of your visit. Along with this, there are some mandatory documents that you need to submit. After submission of the documents and payment of the visa fee, you need to schedule an interview at your nearest Spanish embassy/consulate.
For more information, it is best to contact the Spanish consulate in your home country.
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